Over the past 28 days, ranchers and residents in California’s Sierra Valley have been under siege from escalating gray wolf activity. While the presence of wolves in the valley is not new, this spring has seen a dramatic increase in attacks.
The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office says it’s joining with six other sheriff’s departments in support of California’s livestock producers. The sheriffs say they are opposing environmental polices they believe threaten ranchers and farmers — including new proposed restrictions on predator management.
In a recent Facebook post, it was stated that the Sheriffs of Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, Plumas, Sierra and Tulare Counties stand united in opposing environmental policies that threaten our ranchers and farmers; including new proposed restrictions on predator management.
The California Fish and Game Commission’s Wildlife Resources Committee (WRC) is proposing regulatory changes that would prohibit the taking of coyotes unless direct evidence of property or agricultural damage can be shown. This would eliminate proactive protection and force livestock producers into a depredation-based system, requiring proof of harm after the damage is done.
The Commission will meet on May 15, 2025, to discuss these changes. If adopted, they will make it even harder for ranchers to protect their livestock from escalating predator attacks.
The University of California–Davis recently released results from a study that quantified the direct and indirect costs due to wolf-related losses. You can read more about that research: One Wolf Can Cause Up To $162,000 in Losses Due To Reduced Growth and Pregnancies
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